Mad Dog Returns
by Ann Murry
Summary: ATC for Mad Dog! After the Watson's took off to Kansas City, what happened after they found out they weren't going to die of rabies! And what ever happened to Maude Haggen? Hilarious circumstance that lead to not so funny results!
1. Chapter 1

"I'll tell you one thing, Matthew," Festus said sleepily. "If in I do get ma hands on ol Maude, I'm a gonna beat the tar outa him."

Matt smiled as he played with his mug of beer. The Long Branch had closed hours earlier, but Matt had made Festus give him, Doc, Kitty and Thad a recount of the story he had told Matt practically in one sentence earlier.

"You said, Henry cleaned these up," Doc said looking at the gash on the deputy's forehead where Pinto Watson had shot Festus with a rifle.

"Ya," Festus said pulling away from the physicians probing hands. "Doc, I'm to tired fer yer poking and prodin."

"Well," Doc said putting away his glasses. "You better let me clean them up again tomorrow."

Festus scowled at the physician before turning back to Matt.

"You said, those Watson's were headed to Kansas City?"

"Ya," Festus said grinning. "That there was Doc Rands idea to tell em I was hydrophobic. You should have seen the way them yahoo's took off outa there lookin fer a cure!"

"And that's when the mayor gave you three hundred dollars," Matt said with a wiry grin.

"Yep," Festus replied yawning. "Miss Kitty, ya want me ta get rid of this here house of cards?"

"Don't worry about that tonight, Festus," Kitty said with a smile. "If nothing else it makes for a great conversation piece."

"Ya," Thad said looking over the house. "And, it'll come in handy when some one needs an extra card while their gambling."

"Thad," Kitty said looking at the deputy. "Don't get no ideas, you know I don't allow cheating here."

"I wasn't planning on that ma'am," Thad said with a wink.

"Well," Matt said getting to his feet as he looked down at the hill man. "You get some sleep. Tomorrow, I'll send off a wire to Kansas City about them Watson's."

"Alright," Festus said standing up. "What bout Travers, Matthew."

"I guess, I could send out a wire to Cheyenne," Matt replied thoughtfully.

"That'll probably be the right thing ta do, don't cha think," Festus said tiredly.

"Yeah," Matt replied with a with grin. "I guess it would be."

(Kansas City)

"Why we leavin tonight, Pinto," Roan asked yawning. "We ain't had a lick of sleep."

"Cause," Pinto said turning his horse toward Dodge. "I wants an eye fer an eye. If we can't get that Maude Haggen one way, we can get to him another."

"You mean though that Festus Haggen feller," Buff said.

"Ya," Pinto replied angrily. "The one that lead us on this here wild goose chase. He's got something coming just like Maude and well if we can get Maude to by using him than we will, otherwise we just gonna get Festus first then Maude!"

(Dodge)

Festus awoke the next afternoon, stiff and sore from the fight with the Watson's. After washing up, he headed out of his room in the Livery and headed down the boardwalk toward the Long Branch.

"Festus!"

The hill man turned around and stopped when Matthew approached him.

"Matthew," Festus said once the lawman was standing directly in front of him. "Wha'd ya find out?"

"The Watson brothers have already been to Kansas City and left," Matt said hooking his thumbs into his gun belt. "Seems they were pretty upset to, they beat the doctor half to death when they found out they didn't have rabies!"

"Golly Bill, Matthew," Festus said agitated. "I didn't think they'd do anything like that."

"Well that bright idea you and that Doctor in Bucklin had darn near got a man killed," Matt said scornfully.

"Wal, I'm real sorry bout that," Festus replied full of sorrow. "Anything I kin do?"

"I don't know but we may have bigger problems," Matt said tipping his hat up. "That doctor over heard them Watson's making plans to get to your cousin by coming here after you!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Well, if that don't beat all I've ever heard," Festus said angrily. "I'm a gonna find that no good cousin of mine and..."

"Hold it!" Matt said angrily. "You're not going anywhere until we know where those Watson's brothers are headed."

"But I know where Maude is, Matthew," Festus said quickly. "He ain't more then a half a days ride from Bucklin. The bartender in that there saloon tole me, he comes in there every Saturday and almost wrecks the place."

"It don't matter," Matt said shaking his head. "If you run into those Watson brothers alone, you'll be out gunned and we don't even know where your cousin is."

"Wal, that's true enough," Festus said meekly. "But I ain't one ta just run from a fight with ma tail between ma legs either."

"I know that," Matt replied with a grin. "But your still staying here!"

"Marshal!"

Matt turned around as Thad jogged down the boardwalk toward them.

"Telegram from Bucklin addressed to Festus," Thad said handing Matt the message.

"What's it say, Matthew," Festus asked curios as to who would send him a wire.

"It's from that Doctor, Rand," Matt said looking at Festus. "He says, those Watson brothers tore Bucklin up looking for Maude but they didn't find him. They've left town and it looks like they're headed this way and he wanted us to know that they've recruited a few more men to help."

Festus shook his head as he met Matt's eyes. "How many we talking bout?"

"Rand says they're eight strong," Matt replied folding the telegram. "Thad, we're going to need some help. Round up some men for deputizing!"

Thad nodded and headed down the boardwalk as Festus followed Matt into the Long Branch.

"Sam," Matt said looking at the large bartender. "I'm going to need you to put a badge on."

"Matthew," Festus said once the lawman turned around. "What ya want me ta do?"

"Stay out of sight," Matt said looking at the table where Doc and Kitty were seated. "I know you don't want to but I want you to go with Doc to his office and stay there! If we tell them Watson's you didn't come back to town yet, then maybe they'll just ride on out of here."

"And if in they don't believe you," Festus said concerned.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Matt said putting a hand on the hill man's shoulder. "But for now, you stay out of sight!"

"What's this all about, Matt?" Doc said intently listening to the conversation taking place.

Matt quickly filled in Doc and Kitty about the telegraph and the attacks on the doctor in Kansas City and Bucklin.

"And you think these men are gonna just ride on out of here," Doc said angrily glaring at the Marshal.

"That's what I'm hoping," Matt said grimly. "But I know they won't if they think Festus is here, that's why I need you to keep him out of sight up at your office."

"And what are you going to tell em, that we ran him out of town," Doc said with a smirk as Festus scoffed.

"Wal a fella sure knows who his friends are when the going gets ruff," the hill man groused.

"Oh! Better yet Matt," Doc said angrily. "Why don't ya tell em we found his cousin Maude and sent them both to Alaska, that aught to keep em busy awhile!"

"Doc," Kitty said lightly smacking the physician's arm. "This isn't the time to be cracking jokes! Festus could be in real trouble!"

"Yes, I know," Doc said looking slightly bemused. "So could we all, thanks to him!"

"It's alright, Miss Kitty," Festus said quietly looking at the doctor. "The Ol scudder's right!"

"Don't worry about it Festus," Matt said absently thinking about his next move. "Just do like I tell you. Stay out of sight and this will all blow over."

"Well do, Matthew," Festus said slowly leaving the Long Branch.

"You better think about closing up early tonight," Matt said pursing his lips as Kitty sighed.

"Alright, Matt," she said as the Marshal left, then turning on Doc she glared at him angrily. "Was that really necessary? Don't you think he feels bad enough?"

"No," Doc said swiping his beard. "He should feel bad, how many times have we bailed him out of these kinds of situations?"

"Miss Kitty," Thad said rushing in breathlessly. "Have you seen Matt?"

"He was just here," Kitty said looking at the young deputy. "Did you try the jail?"

"Not yet," Thad said as Doc spoke up.

"Thad, what's wrong?"

"I saw Festus ridding hard out of town," the deputy said before heading toward the jail.

Kitty gasped as she glared angrily at Doc. "Happy now!" she said heading for the doors of the Saloon with Doc following.

"Matt," Kitty said picking up her skirts once the Marshal stepped outside the jail. "What are you going to do?"

"Thad," Matt said ignoring the question for the moment. "Take a few men and stand watch near the livery."

Thad nodded and headed toward the edge of town as Matt turned to Kitty and Doc.

"Nothing I can do," Matt said clinching his jaw. "I can't leave Dodge to go look for him. I'm afraid, Festus is on his own!"


	3. Chapter 3

Festus rode straight into what was left of Bucklin. Stopping at the saloon, he slid down off of Ruth and looked around at the desolate and deserted little town.

Trying the door of the saloon, the hill man found it closed up tighter than a drum.

"Festus!"

Turning around, the deputy smiled at the white haired man in the suite.

"Hiya Doc," Festus said slightly relieved. "I was beginnin ta wonder if anyone was left."

"You got my telegram, didn't you?" Doctor Rand said crossing his arms. "Why would you come back here?"

"I'm lookin fer Maude," Festus said seriously. "I got ta find that no good cousin of mine and put an end ta this once and fer all! All of Dodge is in danger cause of him!"

"Well, I understand what your saying but you ain't much safer," Rand replied evenly. "Those Watson's just rode out of here half a day ago. Your lucky you didn't encounter them on the way here."

"Can't be helped," Festus replied harshly, "I got ta find Maude, do ya know where he is?"

"Well," Rand said with a wiry grin. "I do indeed know where he is! Come with me."

Festus followed Doctor Rand across the street to his office. Opening the door, the doctor stepped aside to let the hill man in before shutting and locking the door.

"In here," Rand said opening a second door.

Festus watched the Doctor bend down and pull up a woven rug. Hidden beneath it was a trap door to a cellar.

Opening the door, Festus peered into the dark hole and grinned. "Alright ya ol mangy mutt! C'mon up outa there!"

A dark haired middle aged man with hazel eyes scrambled out of the hidden space and practically leapt into Festus arms.

"Cousin Festus!" Maude yelled smiling broadly.

"If in you don't get back," Festus said glaring at his cousin with one eye scrunched up. "What in tarnation ya got ta say fer yerself?"

"That moonshine wasn't poisoned, Festus," Maude said grabbing the hill man's vest. "I swear it! You know I don't make nuthin but the best!"

"Then what happened ta Rover Watson," Festus asked shaking his head.

"I don't know," Maude said running a hand though his thick hair. "We both drank ourselves into a stupor and when I came to, he was dead!"

"Well, there could have been any number of reasons he died," Rand said thoughtfully. "It don't mean the moonshine was bad. In fact, if it was, Maude here'd be dead to!"

"Ya," Festus said slowly. "That there is true enough, course convincing them Watson boys is a different matter."

"Why would we want to?" Maude said looking at his cousin.

"Cause," Festus replied angrily dragging the man toward the door. "Them Watson's are about ta tear up Dodge cause of you! And we're gonna stop em!"

"No way!" Maude yelled as the hill man tightened his grip. "Them Watson's want to string me up!"

"Ya," Festus said leading his cousin outside. "I know the feeling!"

"Festus," Maude yelled as the hill man lifted his cousin up and onto Ruth. "Ya can't turn me over to them Watson's, we family!"

(Dodge)

Matt didn't have time to worry about where Festus was or what he was doing once the Watson brother's and their gang rode into Dodge.

"Alright listen up!" Pinto yelled as Matt stepping out of the jail once the gang stopped in the middle of town on Front Street. "We want Haggen!"

"He's not here!" Matt said sternly. "And you got five minutes to get out of town before I run you out!"

"You said, he was gonna be here, Pinto!" Roan said looking at his brother.

"He's lying!" Pinto said angrily looking around at the others before turning back to Matt. "We want the man that killed our Pa! And the only man that knows where he is lives in this town!"

"I told you," Matt said angrily. "He's not..."

"I'm right here!"

Pinto turned around as Matt looked up beyond the riders.

"I got Maude!" Festus said curtly before turning Ruth around, he then rode quickly away.

"Well," Pinto said angrily. "What ya all waiting fer! Let's go!"

"What's he doing?" Thad said watching the Watson's follow Festus out of town.

"I don't know," Matt replied thoughtfully. "Get the horses!"


	4. Chapter 4

Festus rode to the canyons outside of Dodge and hid Ruth before climbing a ledge above the dead end canyon that he was leading Watson and his gang into.

Matt and Thad followed the gang until they disappeared into the Canyon.

"Isn't that a dead end?" Thad said looking at Matt.

"Yeah," Matt replied looking around. "I think I know what Festus is planning. Let's go!"

Thad slid off his horse, taking his rifle with him as he followed Matt up the side of the canyon.

"Where are you Haggen!" Pinto yelled reaching the end of the canyon.

"Here!"

Pinto looked around as the echo of Festus voice bounced off the walls of the canyon.

"It's not him you want, it's me!"

"It's Maude," Buff said as Pinto looked around at his brothers and friends.

"Find that murder!" Pinto yelled climbing down off his horse. "Show yourself, Haggen!"

"Remember what I told ya," Festus said looking at his cousin. "Meet me at the edge."

Maude nodded before moving further into the rocks. Festus went in the opposite direction as Maude called out.

"Ya ain't gonna find me, Watson's!"

Festus waited till it was clear, then he headed down to the where the Watson's had left their horses.

"Festus," Matt said coming up behind him.

"Matthew," the hill man replied.

What are you doing?"

"I'm fixin ta let these here horses loose so those Watson's will be a spendin all they time tryin ta get em back."

"Then what," Matt said watching the Watson's climbing the hillside.

"By the time they do that, we'll be back in Dodge and if they come a looking fer Maude and me, well I got sumthin ta say bout that moonshine but I don't think they gonna come lookin fer us.

"Oh, why not?" Matt asked slightly surprised.

"Cause I gots me a plan ta end this right here, you just play along!"

"Alright," Matt said.

Festus released the horses before scrambling around the Watson's and meeting up with Maude at the edge of the canyon just above a raging river.

"There they are!" Pinto said drawing his gun from its holster. "They ain't got no where left to run!"

"What's he doing?" Thad said following the Marshal.

"I don't know" Matt said quickly making his way up the side of the canyon. "But we better get up there before someone gets hurt!"

"Stop Haggen!" Pinto said as his brother's and the rest of the gang surround Festus and his cousin.

"No!" Maude yelled scooting closer to the edge. "Ya ain't stringing me up!"

"What ya doing?" Festus said grabbing his cousin's arm.

"This is it, Festus! Maude said meeting his eyes. "It's the end of the line fer me!"

"Ya can't!" Festus yelled holding him back from the edge. "I won't let ya!"

Pinto reached the cousin's just as Maude took a large step toward the edge and pulled Festus with him.

Matt and Thad got to the edge behind the Watson brothers just as Festus and Maude went over the side.

"They jumped!" Roan said looking at Buff and Pinto.

"Alright," Matt said leveling his gun as Thad did the same. "All of you go find your horse's and get on out of here unless you want to end up in jail!"

"Not me, Marshal! Pinto said pushing Roan and Buff ahead of him as the other members of their gang scrambled away. "You saw them jump, we didn't push them!"

"Yeah," Matt said tipping his hat up as he peered over the edge at the river below. "I saw."


	5. Chapter 5

The swirling water's churned and dipped in various locations along the river as the two men fought to keep their heads above the rapids.

Festus reached for a branch near a sand bank and pulled himself out of the water and onto the embankment.

Looking behind him, he reached for Maude and pulled his cousin toward him and onto the bank.

"Maude, that there was the craziest thing ya ever did," Festus said laughing.

"It worked, didn't it!"

Festus shook his head as he he got up onto his feet and looked around. "It worked alright, but we bout ten miles from Dodge!"

"Looks like we're a walkin," Maude said getting to his feet.

Festus took a step forward but stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Maude asked watching as Festus bent down and pulled his right pant leg up to his knee.

"This here sure wasn't part of the plan," Festus said watching blood oozing from a deep gash in his calf.

Maude removed the bandana that Festus wore around his neck and wrapped it around the deputy's leg.

Maybe there's a house or sumthin round here we can get some horses from," Maude suggested.

"Might not need to," Festus said upon seeing two men on horse back one leading a mule and the other a horse, approaching them.

"Festus," Matt said grinning. "I figured you come out of that river here on the sand bar."

"So that was your plan huh," Thad said flashing his boyish smile.

"Ya, wal," Festus said pointing at his cousin. "It were more Maude's idea then mine!"

"Are they gone, Marshal?" Maude asked eagerly looking around.

"Yep," Matt said sitting up straighter in the saddle. "They're gone!"

"Good," Festus said making his way to Ruth. "I've had enough of yer ideas fer one day, Maude!"

"Hey," Maude replied angrily getting up into the horse. "You're the one that dragged me here I would have been more than happy to hide out in Bucklin like I was!"

"Hidin out ma foot," Festus said scrunching up one eye. "You woulda got yerself strung up quicker than a bolt ta lightening."

(Long Branch)

"So's here's Festus huggin the tree bout fifty feet up and that black bears just a climbing..."

"Why don't you hush already," Festus groused over his mug of beer.

"No," Doc said quite enjoying the fact that Festus was uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. "I'm loving his stories, all of them!"

"Smart aleck," Festus said snidely.

"Go on Maude," Kitty said slightly amused.

"So this bear climbs the tree and Festus is a inchin closer and closer to the end of the branch and that there bear was so heavy that when he stepped out into that branch it broke," Maude said laughing. "The bear landed on the ground but Festus was just lucky enough to grab the branch below him."

"You know," Doc said looking at the hill man. "You must have some feline in you cause I swear you got nine lives!"

"Well if he does," Maude said mischievously. "He's probably used up about six or more by now!"

"That's it," Festus said scoffing. "I'm a going ta bed!"

"Why you leavin so soon," Maude said smiling. "It's still early!"

"Yes, Festus," Doc said tugging at his ear. "Stay, Maude here will regale us with some more of his stories."

Festus gave the physician an angry look before shaking his head and heading out the doors of the saloon.

"Was it something I said," Maude asked as Kitty, Doc and Matt all laughed. 


End file.
